According to a Raj Bhavan communique, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj accepted the resignation of Shettar and his council of ministers.

The governor has requested Shettar to continue in office till the formation of the new government by the Congress, which secured a comfortable majority of 121 in the 225-member assembly.

Shettar, whom the BJP projected as its chief ministerial candidate in the assembly polls, however, won from the Hubli-Dharwad central constituency, defeating his nearest Congress rival Mahesh Nalwad by 17,754 votes, polling 58,201 votes.

"We accept the verdict of the people and offer constructive cooperation to the new government as a responsible opposition party. I take this opportunity to thank the people of the state for give the BJP an opportunity to serve them in the past five years," Shettar told reporters here after all the results to the 223 constituencies were declared.

Admitting that the party lost the election due to infighting and corruption charges against some of its members and ministers who left the party later, Shettar said unforeseen and unfortunate developments within the party overshadowed its good work.

"We accept the people's mandate and assure them to work earnestly by rebuilding the party. The verdict is a negative vote for our party than a positive vote for the Congress," Shettar added.